A Queens school employee has been charged with sexually abusing six 9 and 10-year-old schoolgirls, becoming the fifth school worker in New York to be arrested for sexual crimes in recent weeks. Brett Picou, 30, of Public School 52 in Springfield Gardens, is accused of spanking one of the girls, grabbing the children’s buttocks as they walked up stairs and fondling their buttocks over their clothing when he hugged them. READ MORE HERE

Roy Ralph Estrada, a former member of Frank Zappa‘s group the Mothers of Invention and original member of Little Feat, will serve 25 years in prison on child molestation charges. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Estrada, 68, abused a female family member in Tarrant County after being released from a California prison for another child abuse case. “The victim’s family was unaware that he was a convicted sex offender,” Tarrant County district attorney office spokesperson Melody McDonald said. “Estrada was sentenced to 25 years in a plea bargain agreement and is not eligible for parole.”  READ MORE HERE

MAN FOUND NOT GUILTY OF CHILD ABUSE

The videotape appalled juror Kelly Hurley. A man with a belt draped around his neck was shown berating a 7-year-old boy, shaving his eyebrows and head as punishment and forcing him to do calisthenics. At one point, a slapping sound and the wailing of a child could be heard off camera. The man, Devery Broox, was found not guilty this week of child abuse. Hurley concurred with the verdict, which was based on the legal definition of the crime — but she’s conflicted.  READ MORE HERE

SANTA ANA, CA — A 20-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend’s 9-month-old son. Alexander Barnes was convicted in November of second-degree murder and felony child abuse resulting in the death of Isaiah Prim-Ortiz. Prosecutors contend Barnes was babysitting Isaiah for the first time and became angry because the baby wouldn’t stop crying. They say Barnes repeatedly smashed the baby’s head against a wall, fracturing the his skull and killing him.  READ MORE HERE

A U.S. citizen convicted of child molestation has been turned over to U.S. authorities after being captured in Canada after a decade on the run. Veronique Lalime, a spokeswoman for Canada Border Services Agency, said Thursday that Steven Dyer was transferred to the custody of U.S. officials on Wednesday. He was picked up by border service agents at Montreal’s airport a day earlier.  READ MORE HERE

LOS ANGELES– A soccer coach in East Los Angeles faces charges of sexually assaulting two teenage players, and investigators say there may be more victims. Javier Arrioja, 48, allegedly molested one of the victims, a 15-year-old boy, four times between May and November 2011, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said. The case began after the boy told deputies that Arrioja had touched him inappropriately.  READ MORE HERE

MONTEBELLO — Montebello Police confirm that a female teacher at Roosevelt High has been arrested for allegedly having sex with two boys while they were her students. The teacher has been identified as 42-year-old Gabriela Cortez. She was arrested yesterday and booked at the Montebello City Jail.  READ MORE HERE

The step father of an 11-year-old girl kept her chained to her bed for five weeks, investigators say. Michael Gilman is charged with false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly shackled his step-daughter to the bed by her ankle. Gilman, of Sharp County, Arkansas, used a dog leash and, at times, a short chain to restrain the girl while the girl’s mother was out of town, court documents state.  READ MORE HERE

A four-year-old boy was abused to death by his grandmother, authorities say. Gabriel Trujillo was found unconscious on Valentine’s Day at the Commerce City, Colorado home of his grandmother. Doris Becky Trujillo.  Trujillo, 60, had had custody of Gabriel and his older sisters Krista and Monique since last year. READ MORE HERE

ETOWAH COUNTY, AL — A grandmother and stepmother are charged with murder in the death of a nine-year-old girl who authorities say died after being forced to run for 3 hours. The running was apparently a punishment for eating a forbidden candy bar and lying about it. Savannah Hardin died Monday from severe dehydration and low sodium levels, a condition common in marathon runners, according to Natalie Barton, Etowah County, Alabama Public Information Officer.  READ MORE HERE